Forced air electric heater unit for poultry brooder

ABSTRACT

A compact, efficient and self-contained air heater unit for commercial poultry brooders provides an accurately controlled layer of moving warm air near floor level where the young birds habitate. The heater unit features an overhead down draft blower and heating elements which are readily removable in the region between the blower and the air-directing louvers in the bottom portion of the tapered heater housing. A plurality of the heater units will provide an even blanket of warm air over the entire floor area of a large brooder building.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Freeman M. Hostetler Rte. 1, Dundee, Ohio 44624 [2]] Appl. No. 18,220 [22] Filed Mar. 10, 1970 [45] Patented Dec. 14, 1971 [54] FORCED AIR ELECTRIC HEATER UNIT FOR POULTRY BROODER 10 Claims, 8 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S. Cl 219/370, ll9/32, 219/377 [51] Iut.Cl ..A01k3l/18, F 24h 3/04 [50] Field oiSearch ll9/30-33, 37; 219/367, 368, 369, 370, 376

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,22 l ,045 ll/1940 Edington l/l957 Fahner 2,779,856 219/267 X 2,893,639 7/1959 Martin 219/376x FOREIGN PATENTS 993,168 10 1951 France 219/368 215,358 1/1942 Switzerland 219/368 Primary Examiner-R. F. Staubley Attorney-Brady, OBoyle & Gates ABSTRACT: A compact, emcient and self-contained air heater unit for commercial poultry brooders provides an accurately controlled luyer oi movin g warm air near floor level where the young birds huhitute. The heuter unit features an overhead down drult blower and heating elements which are readily removable in the region between the blower and the air-directing louvers in the bottom portion of the tapered heater housing. A plurality of the heater units will provide an even blanket of warm air over the entire floor area ofa large brooder building.

PATENTEDUEEMIQYI 3.527.985

sum 1 0F 3 i INVENTOR FREEMAN M. HOSTETLER 1 BY PW/ ATTORNEYS FORCED AIR ELECTRIC HEATER UNIT FOR POULTRY BROODER Various forms of brooder heaters are known in the art and they are all designed with the common objective of providing a controlled even temperature environment for the young birds which are very delicate. Commercial brooders, for example, house chicks during the period from when they are 1 day old to 8 weeks old. At this time, it is desirable to maintain the chicks in a constant temperature zone where the temperature is in the range of 8590 F. For young turkeys, the desired temperature is slightly higher, namely, 95100 F. In all cases, it is desirable to have fresh warm air moving at the level near the floor where the birds reside. In the case of a long commercial brooder, an even blanket of warm air must be maintained over the entire floor area having a depth of about 6 inches'above the floor. It-is also desirable to maintain the birds in full view at all times so that they may be visually inspected and there should be no areas in which the birds can hide, as where dead birds might go undetected.

In general, the prior art brooder heaters have tended to be awkward and complex and somewhat inefficient. Some of these devices are coal burners or oil burners with long heating ducts and branch ducts having hoods or hovers extending near the brooder floor. This is disadvantageous because the birds will hide out beneath the hovers and they may become overheated by remaining directly beneath the hovers. In other prior art structures, the heat directing means is too remote from the floor or too localized to be capable of maintaining an even blanket or hover of warm air close to the floor, which is the basic aim of all of these devices.

The present invention overcomes the aboveand other deficiencies of the prior art through the provision of a brooder heater which is relatively lightweight and economical in construction and which is electrically operated and can maintain very accurately a blanket of warm air immediately above floor level in the brooder, such as 6 inches above the floor level. A plurality of the heater units in a long commercial brooder will coact to produce moving warm air in a zone of even thickness over the entire floor area of the brooder, the air discharge patterns of the individual heaters overlapping in a unique manner.

A feature of the brooder heater resides in ease of access to the interior thereof for servicing, ease of removal of the electrical heating elements in a unitary subassembly, and simplifred automatic temperature controls. The heating unit is free of any hood or hover structure under which the birds may hide. as stated, and the downwardly tapering housing of the unit together with a bottom nozzle slot and opposed louver panels renders the device most efficient in maintaining a moving shallow blanket of warm airat an even temperature close to the floor.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING FIGURES FIG. 7 is an enlarged horizontal section through the directional louver structure taken on line 7-7 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 8 is a diagrammatic plan view of a brooder equipped with a plurality ofthe heater units.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring to the drawings in detail wherein like numerals designate like parts, the numeral 10 designates the body or housing of the heater unit in its entirety which may be formed of sheet metal of a suitable gage. The housing body portion 11 is rectangular in horizontal cross section and has its major opposed sidewalls I2 converging downwardly on opposite sides of the central vertical axis of the housing so as to form a large air nozzle having a discharge slot 13 extending for the entire width of the housing between its end vertical walls I4. The housing 10 is supported near its bottom and opposite ends by a pair of A-frame leg units 15 suitably secured thereto and when the heater is resting on the floor these leg units support the discharge nozzle slot 13 approximately 6 inches above the floor of the brooder. This distance may be varied somewhat in some cases.

A cover section 16 for the heater housing is provided generally in the form of a truncated pyramid, hinged along one side to the housing body II by a suitable hinge I7. At least a pair of the side panels of cover section 16 designated by the numeral 18 are formed of expanded metal or perforated metal to admit air easily into the'top of the heater. Latches I9 are provided on opposite sides of the unit to secure the cover section 16 firmly closed.

A vertical axis fan 20 including a motor 2I is disposed centrally' within the cover section I6 and fixedly supported therein by a horizontal bracket 22 whose opposite ends are detachably secured at 23 to opposite walls of the cover sec tion. At the elevation of the fan blades, a horizontal baffle plate 24 having a circular opening 25 slightly larger than the fan blade diameter is provided on the cover section 16 as an integral part thereof, whereby the air drawn downwardly by the fan into the'lower nozzle housing is forced to pass through the central opening 25 in a concentrated stream directly above the heating elements, to be described.

The heating means proper is electrical and comprises preferably three elements 26 including an upper pair of spaced elements and an intervening lower element, FIG. 4, in a triangular configuration. The three elements 26 are in a unit assembly centrally in the downwardly tapering nozzle section of the housing. The elements 26 are preferably Chromalox finned air-heating elements, Type SEF, manufactured by Edwin L. Wiegand, Pittsburgh, Pa., with a 240-volt, 1,000 watt rating each. The rating may be varied in some cases as well as the particular type of heating element, if desired.

The three elements 26 are unitized so as to be readily removable from the heater housing. The leading ends of the elements, FIG. 5, are connected with a forward faceplate 27 through angle brackets 28 and pin elements 29 which engage through openings formed in the tinned elements. The faceplate 27 is detachably secured to the adjacent vertical wall 14 by screws 30; or the like. A large opening is provided in the wall I4 adjacent the elements 26 so that they may be withdrawn as a unit along with the faceplate 27, FIG. 5. A similar mounting plate 31 secured to the remote ends of the elements 26 in the same manner described is adapted to abut the interior face of the opposing wall I4 and may be detachably secured thereto by a single screw or fastener 32. This renders it very easy to remove the entire heating element assembly from the housing I0 and to replace the same. Each heating element 26 has a pair of electrical terminals 33 near its end adjacent the faceplate 27 for ease of servicing.

Below the level of the electrical heating elements, the converging sidewalls of the tapering housing are provided with louvered panels 34 suitably secured thereto, and as most clearly shown in FIG. 7 the individual louvers 35 along onehalf the length of each panel are angled in one direction while the Iouvers 36 along the remaining length of the panel are angled in the opposite direction. Therefore, the warm air being emitted from the opposite sides of the tapered housing near its bottom will be directed downwardly in two streams as shown by the lines 37 in FIG. 4 and each stream will be split and will diverge, as shown at 38 in FIG. 8. This will occur on both sides of the heater unit simultaneously. As shown in FIG. 8, the divergent airstreams from a plurality of the heaters indicated at 39 will overlap so that an even thickness, uninterrupted warm air blanket, hover or layer is developed over the entire area of the brooder house 40 immediately above the floor thereof.-

. Simultaneously, while warm air is discharging from the side louvers, additional air is being directed downwardly toward the floor through the nozzle slot 13, asindicated by the lines 41, FIG. 4, and this adds to the concentration of warm air in the uniform layer 42 which is usually about 6 inches thick, as stated. The air in the homogeneous layer is fresh and continuously circulating and the young birds are continuously covered and submerged in this warm air blanket of even temperature.

The sloping sidewall section 43 of the housing or body immediately below the hinge 17 forms the electrical control panel of the heater and the controls thereon may, if desired, be boxed in and protected by an internal shroud 44, FIG. 3. These controls consist simply of a heat regulator knob and dial 45 conventionally connected with a thermostat element or bulb 46 preferably mounted at the center of the outlet slot 13. A heater switch 47 is also provided having an "off" position, a high" position where all three elements 26 are energized, and a low" position where only the two upper elements 26 are active. The circuit is simple and conventional. An indicator light 48 is also included on the control panel to indicate when the heating elements are active or inactive.

The top of the cover section 16 is preferably equipped with a suspension eye 49 so that the entire heater unit may, if desired, be suspended at the desired height above the floor when used to warm a hog house or any other enclosure.

SUMMARY OF OPERATION With the fan 20 in operation and the desired number of heating elements 26 activated, fresh air is drawn continuously into the top of the unit housing by the fan and forced downwardly over the heating elements. The tapered nozzle structure at the lower part of the housing causes the air stream to increase in velocity and to have its pressure reduced while approaching and passing through the louvers 34 and 35 and the long horizontal slot 13. This assures a rather strong and steady stream of warm air discharging from the bottom and from the opposite sides of the heater near the floor in the manner already described in some detail, and maintains a uniform temperature homogeneous warm air blanket over the entire floor area of the brooder in conjunction with other heaters, as shown diagrammatically in FIG. 8. The automatic controls are capable of maintaining the required temperature within a few degrees.

Another feature is that the housing 11, during operation of the heater. remains sufficiently cool to be touched by the hand. and this phenomenon is thought to be due in part to the nozzle action of the heater and also to the ability of the metal housing to radiate heat rapidly.

The heater is very compact and relatively lightweight and the slender legs and tapering bottom of the heater and the absence of any hood or hover structure near the bottom renders it impossible for the fowl to hide under the heater and the birds are always therefore in clear view, which is an important feature of the invention.

it is thought that the many features and advantages of the heater over the prior art will now be apparent to those skilled in the art without the need for further description.

It is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of the invention or scope of the subjoined claims.

lclaim:

1. An enclosure heater adapted to maintain a well defined concentrated blanket of moving warm air adjacent the floor of an enclosure in which the heater is situated, said heater comprising a housing body having air inlet means at the top portion thereof, the housing body havin a central vertical axis and a tapering lower portion inclu ing opposite generally planar sidewalls connected in downwardly converging relation on opposite sides of the central axis, said planar sidewalls having lower terminal edges disposed in spaced relation on opposite sides of the central axis and defining an elongate lateral discharge nozzle slot adjacent the bottom of the tapering lower portion and disposed at right angles to the central axis of the housing body, warm air discharge means on said opposite planar downwardly converging sidewalls of said tapering lower portion, support means for the housing body to position said lateral nozzle slot and discharge means at a prescribed level above the floor, a heating element in the housing above said lateral slot, and down draft air moving means in the housing body above said heating element and below said air inlet means whereby a stream of warm air can be simultaneously discharged downwardly toward the floor from the bottom of the housing body along the central axis thereof and downwardly from said discharge means on said converging sidewalls.

2. The structure as define in claim 1, and said warm air discharge means consisting of opposed louvered panels in said converging sidewalls near the above said slot and in the plane of said sidewalls.

3. The structure as defined in claim 2, and said louvered panels containing groups of louvers for discharging warm air in divergent downward directions at the opposite sides of the heater.

4. The structure as defined in claim 1, and said heating element comprising an electrical heating element extending laterally of said housing body substantially parallel with said sidewalls and disposed centrally within the tapering lower portion of the housing body near and above said warm air discharge means. i

5. The structure as defined in claim 4, and said tapering lower portion including opposite planar end walls connecting said sidewalls, and said electrical heating element comprising a plural element unit assembly mounted removably on said tapering lower portion and withdrawable therefrom through an opening in one end wall of said lower portion.

6. The structure as defined in claim 5, and said plural element unit assembly comprising a triangular array of heating elements spanning said tapering lower portion of the housing body substantially between the end walls thereof, means interconnecting the ends of the heating elements in the array and maintaining the spacing of the elements, and means for attaching the last-named means to the opposite end walls of said tapering lower portion.

7. The structure as defined in claim 6, and said triangular array of heating elements including upper laterally spaced pair of elements and a lower single element substantially midway between the elements of said pair and substantially aligned with said elongate slot.

8. The structure as defined in claim 4, and thermostat temperature control means on said heater to regulate the operation of the heating element and including a thermostat sensing element disposed substantially within said slot.

9. The structure as defined in claim 1, and said air moving means comprising a fan device mounted in the upper portion of the housing body.

l0. The structure as defined in claim 9, and a hinged top cover section on the housing body above the tapering lower portion, said cover section having foraminous wall portions to admit cool air to the interior thereof, said fan device disposed in said cover section, and a support bracket for the fan device secured to the cover section. 

1. An enclosure heater adapted to maintain a well defined concentrated blanket of moving warm air adjacent the floor of an enclosure in which the heater is situated, said heater comprising a housing body having air inlet means at the top portion thereof, the housing body having a central vertical axis and a tapering lower portion including opposite generally planar sidewalls connected in downwardly converging relation on opposite sides of the central axis, said planar sidewalls having lower terminal edges disposed in spaced relation on opposite sides of the central axis and defining an elongate lateral discharge nozzle slot adjacent the bottom of the tapering lower portion and disposed at right angles to the central axis of the housing body, warm air discharge means on said opposite planar downwardly converging sidewalls of said tapering lower portion, support means for the housing body to position said lateral nozzle slot and discharge means at a prescribed level above the floor, a heating element in the housing above said lateral slot, and down draft air moving means in the housing body above said heating element and below said air inlet means whereby a stream of warm air can be simultaneously discharged downwardly toward the floor from the bottom of the housing body along the central axis thereof and downwardly from said discharge means on said converging sidewalls.
 2. The structure as define in claim 1, and said warm air discharge means consisting of opposed louvered panels in said converging sidewalls near the above said slot and in the plane of said sidewalls.
 3. The structure as defined in claim 2, and said louvered panels containing groups of louvers for discharging warm air in divergent downward directions at the opposite sides of the heater.
 4. The structure as defined in claim 1, and said heating element comprising an electrical heating element extending laterally of said housing body substantially parallel with said sidewalls and disposed centrally within the tapering lower portion of the housing body near and above said warm air discharge means.
 5. The structure as defined in claim 4, and said tapering lower portion including opposite planar end walls connecting said sidewalls, and said electrical heating element comprising a plural element unit assembly mounted removably on said tapering lower portion and withdrawable therefrom through an opening in one end wall of said lower portion.
 6. The structure as defined in claim 5, and said plural element unit assembly comprising a triangular array of heating elements spanning said tapering lower portion of the housing body substantially between the end walls thereof, means interconnecting the ends of the heating elements in the array and maintaining the spacing of the elements, and means for attaching the last-named means to the opposite end walls of said tapering lower portion.
 7. The structure as defined in claim 6, and said triangUlar array of heating elements including upper laterally spaced pair of elements and a lower single element substantially midway between the elements of said pair and substantially aligned with said elongate slot.
 8. The structure as defined in claim 4, and thermostat temperature control means on said heater to regulate the operation of the heating element and including a thermostat sensing element disposed substantially within said slot.
 9. The structure as defined in claim 1, and said air moving means comprising a fan device mounted in the upper portion of the housing body.
 10. The structure as defined in claim 9, and a hinged top cover section on the housing body above the tapering lower portion, said cover section having foraminous wall portions to admit cool air to the interior thereof, said fan device disposed in said cover section, and a support bracket for the fan device secured to the cover section. 